Rebuilding Bonds
by Dana Grayson
Summary: family is determined by blood and by heart can Ryan and Dana be the family they never had the chance to be or will friends and the demons get in the way?
1. Default Chapter

Rebuilding Bonds 

By: Dana Grayson 

Disclaimer: " Power rangers don't belong to me I just borrowed a couple of them for a little while.  I'll put them back I promise.  

Summary: Family is not determined by blood but by heart.  Can Ryan and Dana lay the foundations of a relationship again?  

Author's note: Yes this is a repost but I have been a little stumped on Forever dreaming so I decided to clean up some of my other stories.  I've also decided to add to this story.  I'm not sure what the next chapters will hold but relationships take longer than one incident to build.  

A.A.N. the way Ryan and Dana went into sibling mode after the titanium ranger decided to stay bothered me so I had to write this.  It takes place after "Ryan's destiny" and before the others find out about the tattoo.  It consequently pushes back Ryan's tour of the aqua base the next morning.  

His lungs burned as Ryan ran.  All around him skull castle loomed as monstrous as an all consuming demon.  Suddenly the long passage opened into a grotesquely large room, filled by statues of gruesome demons, and Diabolico perched atop a high pillar.  He looked to Ryan to be sneering.  Fear hit Ryan as he realized he couldn't move.  It was as if his legs were trapped in cement.  

"You will pay Mortal for betraying me and the Queen!"  The demon bellowed and suddenly a series of energy beams erupted from Diabolico's chest, throwing Ryan backwards until he was pinned to a stone column.  In horror Ryan felt his shirt torn open, and the burning sensation as something was burned into the flesh of his back.  

"This is my final gift to you, the cobra will move up your back every time you morph and eventually destroy you when it reaches your neck."  

As the cobra began to slither up his back to his neck the other demons appeared and with a jolt Ryan found himself in his old room.  

 Letting his eyes survey the room he took in his Michael Jordan poster, a toy box, and the old dresser.  Slowly he sat up, taking in even more of the room, the bucket of building blocks at the base of the toy box, a fire truck lying on its side near the dresser and then the faint shadow.  

Looking towards the doorway he saw his little sister silhouetted by the light from the upper halls single nightlight.  She looked pale, her eyes red from crying, a floppy eared bunny clutched in one hand.

"Ryan?"  She asked and he had to smile, Dana looked so young, so innocent.  He remembered now that she'd had nightmares ever since mom died, and how afterwards they'd do just this.  

"Again?"  He asked hearing his own squeaky voice, and she nodded.  

He scooted over so she could lie beside him but like always she didn't.   

Within moments he felt the slight depression in the foot of the bed and then the feel of a small hand clutching his left foot.  She lay curled in a little ball at the foot of his bed.  

Laying back Ryan felt a little better himself and listening to her breathing he drifted off to sleep.  

******  

Laying there Ryan stared at the ceiling, where did that come from? He'd forgotten all about that.  He'd started to remember little things when he'd left to find out where he belonged but that memory was new.  It was surprising that most of his memories were of him and Dana.  

He'd been so filled with hatred for so long that one would have thought he'd permanently blocked out the good times.  Then the other dream flashed through his mind and he sat up.  

*****  

She stood there in the predawn hours, the wind blowing her pale curls every which-way.  

He was alive.  Dana still had trouble taking it all in.  Her brother, the one person she could actually remember losing was alive and hated them.  No, he hated her.  She'd seen how he'd looked at her.  Even when he'd found out the truth…  He still despised her.  But could she blame him?  He'd been taken away and she'd had a happy childhood.   At least he thought she had.  

Looking down at the place where she'd always thought he'd lost his life, she wondered what it would have felt like to fall, to know she was dying.  That she'd never see her father, her brother, her friends…

Dana knew she could not even imagine the fear and pain.  She took a step back, picked up her old backpack and slung it over her shoulder.

*****

"Hey have you seen Dana?"  Kelsey asked coming into the common room where her friends were gathered.  

"Not since we came back."  Chad said not looking up from his book.  

"No, why?"  Carter asked flipping off the new.  

"I wanted to borrow one of her tops and when she didn't answer I opened her door.  Her stuff was gone and I found this on her bed."  She said holding up the pink ranger's communicator.  

"Maybe they changed her room."  Joel commented even as Carter got to his feet.  

"No, she'd have it on, she knows that queen Bansheera will retaliate for Ryan's defection."  He was taking the device from the yellow ranger on his way out the door.  However Kelsey stayed on his heels.

"Where do you think she is?"  The young woman was asking him as Carter pushed opened Dana's door.  

It was just as Kelsey had described it.  The closet and drawers were devoid of any personal effects.  The only thing she'd left behind was a book.  Picking it up Carter found that it was a photo album.  

"Hey what's going on where's Dana?"  Ryan asked and they realized he'd come in right behind them.  

"Dana's gone."  Kelsey said and Ryan just looked confused.  

"She took everything but this and her communicator."  Carter told him grimly.  

"Why?"  Ryan frowned.  "This is her home."  

"I don't…"  Carter began when the slip of paper fell from a   page in the book.  Bending to pick it up the red ranger's eyes widened.  

Ryan's frown grew and he took the paper from Carter's hand.  

"What is it?"  Kelsey was asking as Ryan read the words of his little sister.  

To whoever finds this,

  I here by resign from lightspeed rescue.  I'm sorry if my departure leaves you hanging but I can't stay.  To do so would just subject my family to more pain.  

To Kelsey, go that distance.  

To Chad, she likes you don't give up on her.  

To Joel, keep trying.  Angela does like you.  

To Carter, You're a great leader.  Keep the others out of trouble will you?  

To Dad, I'm sorry I let you down Daddy.  I know you wanted me to do great things.  I love you but I know that Ryan still feels uncomfortable.  I also know that my presence makes it worse.  Please know where ever I go, what ever I do I'll always love you.  

To Ryan, I'm glad your home.  I hope you'll stay.  When dad lost you…  It almost killed him.  I'm sorry for all that happened and just want you to be happy.  

Dana 

Ryan went cold.  She'd left because…  He could see that it had hurt her to go, the tear marks on the paper were testament to that.  To think she'd left so he wouldn't be upset.  He'd known he'd hurt her when he'd been evil, but to know what she thought…  He felt the unfamiliar sting of tears in the back of his eyes.  

"We have to find her."  He said finally.  He looked up and found Carter and Kelsey 

*****

She sat there, on the swing.  Her bag lay against the post of the swing set.  She'd come because they had many times back when they were happy.  The memory of the last time flashed in her mind with vivid clarity.  

"Ryan wait up!"  Dana called trying to catch up.  

"No way you're so slow!"  He shouted back reaching the bright red swing set as she herself was breaking from the trees.  

"That's no fair, you have longer legs!"  She called.  

"No you're just slow!"  He said patting the swing for her to sit down.

"You first."  She'd said and he grinned.  Then he took the seat on the swing.  

The afternoon passed quickly with them taking turns on the swing, then both swinging.  

"You know what I want to be when I grow up?"  He'd said and she'd looked over at her big brother.  

"What?"    It was getting late and Dad would be coming for them soon so they were walking back to the area where he'd pick them up.  

"A police officer."  He'd said and she frowned.  

"Why?"  

"To protect shrimps like you."  He'd said messing up her hair.  

"Hey I'm not a shrimp."  She said bending to pick up a handful of grass to throw at him.  

"Are to."  He'd laughed and she'd stuck out her tongue.  

"I don't know what I wanna be.  Maybe a power ranger."  She said gazing up at the sky wistfully.  

"No way, you're a shrimp they wouldn't want you."  He said throwing grass at her.  

"Hey!"  She ran at him and when he moved her forward momentum sent her falling to the ground.  Immediately pain erupted in her knee.  Tears came to her eyes.  

"Hey Danny?"  Ryan asked coming over to her.  She wouldn't look at him, she'd not let him see what a weenie she was.  "You ok?"  

"Yeah fine."  She said forcing back the tears as she tried to get up.  She'd not let him know she got hurt.  

"Then why you sitting in the grass?"  

"Because I want to."  She said and to her shame heard the tears in her voice.  

"You got hurt."  He was kneeling beside her.  

"I'm ok.  Just go tell dad I'm…"  But he was tilting her chin up.  

"Ok, where?"  

"I'm not a Weenie."  She sniffled.  

"What?"  He asked confused.  

"I'm not a weenie, so what if I fell.  I'm not a weenie!"  She cried.

"Come on don't cry," he began uncertainly.  "I didn't mean to hurt you.  Let me see where?"  

"Why? You can't fix it."  She sniffled.  

"Who says?  I'm super brother, I can do anything."  Ryan grinned and she found herself smiling even through the pain.   

It was too bad she didn't have a time machine.  She'd go back and trade places with him or maybe she'd even stop her Dad from making that drive home from Grandma's that night.  If they hadn't then…  

*****

Back at the Aquabase Ryan stood with his fellow rangers.  

"So what your saying is without her communicator you can't locate her?"  Carter was demanding of the Captain.  

"No, the homing device is in the band."  

"There has to be a way to find her."  Chad said and he looked at Joel.  The green ranger frowned.  They were not aloud to use the zords for non-ranger business.  

"The question is where would she go?"  Chad wondered aloud up until now he'd been content to let the others voice their concerns but if there was another attack then they'd need Dana.  

Ryan stood listening to them knowing that he had to talk to her.  He hadn't realized how upset she was.  Dana had just seemed so happy at his party.  He knew she was glad to have him safe and alive, but how had the whole thing felt to her?  To have the brother she'd thought dead reappear and try and kill her of all things?  The thing that shocked him the most was that she thought he wouldn't want her around.  It occurred to him that he should have talked to her right after he'd decided to stay.  But she'd never have come to him, she had always had too much pride for that.  And she had always gotten hurt so easy… The memory of the last time he'd accidentally hurt her flashed through his  mind and he realized that she was probably remembering too.  He knew she'd go somewhere where there were good memories.  Then a flash of insight hit him like a lightening bolt 

"I know where she is."  He said after a minute.  Suddenly all eyes  flew to him. 

"Where?"  His father asked but Ryan had already headed out of the room.  

*****

Pushing off of the ground with a foot Dana kept her eyes on the sky. It was so blue, so perfect.  It was good to know that there was something out there that was still right.  She closed her eyes and let herself swing.  There was nothing but the feel of air on her  face and the sound of birds and her thoughts.  

Dana didn't feel the hands on her back at first.  She was that caught up in the freedom.  Then she stiffened and opening her eyes moved to jump off the swing.  She landed and whirled falling into a fighting stance.  

"You know you're lucky it was me Shrimp."  She straightened and debated going for her bag before running.  She'd known that if they found that note too soon she'd be caught.  Idly she wondered who'd done it.  

"You'll never make it."  Ryan's voice brought her back to her current dilemma.  

"Ryan what do you want?"  She asked wanly.  

"To talk to you."  He said and she shook her head.  

"No, I'm leaving."  She said turning on her heel.  She'd rather go now than try for that bag and fail.   

"It's hard being on your own."  He said and she tried to ignore the lost tone of his voice.  

"You're not alone anymore."  She said as she walked.  

"No?"  

"No you have Dad and the others."  She called.  She was two steps into the trees by now.  

"But none of them will push me."  

"Ryan your twenty, of course no one will push you."  She reminded him.  

"So, I still like to swing.  Besides I pushed you so it's your turn."  She sighed.  Why was he doing this?  Why wouldn't he just let her go?  The thought that she might have a chance at grabbing her knapsack if she did what he wanted hit her and she moved slowly over to him.  

"I bet I still push higher."  He said and she had to hold back a tiny smile.  She was not going to stay.  She had already hurt him and…  

As Dana pushed him Ryan felt a strange feeling, as if he'd really come home.  It was the first time he'd felt like that since he'd found out the truth.  He didn't think about his next words.  

"You know I missed this."  He said and a sharp pain shot through her heart.  

"I know."  She said and as she'd skilled herself to do over the years, Dana held on to her control.  

"I missed you."  He added and felt her move from behind him.  

"There, now I'm leaving."  She said going for the bag.  

"Ok,"  He said and jumped off the swing.  

To Dana's surprise he moved to the other side of the swing set and picked up the same duffle bag he'd taken when he'd left the last time.    

"Ryan what are you doing?"  

"Looking after my little sister."  He said hefting it over his shoulder.  

"You can't."  She said surprised and confused.  

"Why not? You said you want me to be happy."   He reminded her.  

"But that's different.  You can be happy here.  You'll have a safe home and family and friends."  She pointed out.  

"But who will be your family?"  He asked.  

"I don't…"  

"Do you know for the first year I kept thinking of the last time when we came here?"  His tone was distant.  "I thought of how little you were, of how you used to smile at me.  It was like I hung the moon."  He said and began to walk.  She fell into step beside him not even thinking about it.  

"You're my brother."  She said simply.  She was tired.  She made to look at the time on her communicator but remembered then why she was there.  "Ok, well, I'll see you."  She said and turned to go off into the trees.  

To her dismay she found him right beside her, a solemn look on his face.  Stopping abruptly she turned on him.  

"Ryan what are you doing?  I told you…"  

"Well, since you won't stay I'm coming."  

"No."  She rounded on him.  "I want you to stay.  That way you'll have a chance for all the things you never had."  

"I don't hate you anymore, Shrimp."  He said quietly and her eyes widened, he saw and knew he had her, it was just a matter of time.

"I never said…"

"Hey you're talking to super brother,  I know everything.  You still think I do.  Dana I know how your mind works.  I always have.  I just forgot for a little while.  You think I hate you and that I'll be better off here with no reminders."  

Hearing her thoughts spoken aloud Dana couldn't bring herself to look at him.  

"Shrimp, Do you know why I came back yesterday?"  ?She shrugged.  

"It's your home, you just realized that a little late."  

"Well, yeah, I was walking near here when a feather landed in front of me."  He said  and paused to look back at the swing set.   "I picked it up, I didn't know it had come from a demon. Then I saw these little kids playing.     I stopped to watch them and thought about you.  There was this little girl Katie  playing ball with her big brother Jimmy."  As his voice went soft with the memory Dana felt her heart growing even heavier.  "I guess when I saw their bond it made up my mind for me."  He said Riley adding,  "I just didn't know it yet."  

"Ryan, we lost that, you were on your own…  I had Dad.  You should have had him too.  If I'd just fallen then…"  

The young man moved like a rattler and before Dana knew it he was shaking her shoulders.  There was a protective fury in his silver eyes she'd never seen before.  His face was hard and he looked as if she'd just said something blasphemous.   

"If it had been you I don't know what I'd have done.  Do you know what they did, what they didn't do? Do you know how many nights I cried myself to sleep?"  As if just now seeing that the blood had completely drained from Dana's face Ryan went still.  She jerked free and crumpled to her knees.  

For the first time in fourteen years tears filled her blue eyes.  Even knowing what had been done had not prepared her for the feelings

She saw in those flaming silver eyes.   

Ryan stared down at her trying to get his emotions back under  control.  Had he just…  

"I'm sorry."  She sobbed and he dropped to his own knees his struggle forgotten in the face of this naked emotion.  He wasn't sure what to do at first but remembering all of his tears after he'd been taken Ryan did what   he'd needed someone to do for him.  He gathered her close and just  held her.  

"You think your leaving will change anything?  Dana, what happened.  No matter what it will always be there."  He said quietly and she sniffled.  

"I know but I wish I could make it better.  Like you did."  Tyan just smiled kissing her hair gently.  

"You just did."  She lifted her head and found he did look a little less haggard.  "And I know how you can keep helping me."  He said quietly.  

"How?"  She asked as he handed her a tissue.  

"Stay,"  he said and she looked from him to the damp front of his shirt.  

"Ryan I…"  Just then his communicator went off.  He looked at her then lifted it to his mouth.  

"Go ahead."  

"There's trouble downtown."  Carter's voice came through loud and clear.  Ryan looked at his sister.  

"I'm not a shrimp."  Dana Mouthed and pushed to her feet.  She offered a hand to help him up.  

"We're on our way."  

"Then you found her."  Ryan smiled at the relief in his new friend's voice.  Carter was, if Ryan was not mistaken very interested in his little sister.  He'd have to have a talk with him, but it could wait.  For now they had a job to do.  

"Yeah just hang on."  

End.   

*****  

Please R&R.  


	2. w

author's note That's right I'm back and with some new material. Sorry it took so long I had some nasty computer viruses to deal with.

aditional author's note: I should probably ask if there are any fans of lightspeed Rescue or even people who still know which incarnation it is out there? I've been away so long I'm not even sure. shrugs

2

"Talk about a nasty battle." Joel commented as they left the lift.

"You're telling me." Kelsey sighed wearily. "I'm so going to crash."

"You and me both." Chad joined in with his best friend's sentiment.

"Hey Danny?" Ryan began

"Yeah?" She looked over at him, her thoughts at the moment on getting Carter's wounds cleaned up. It had been way too close and he was probably in a great deal of pain. She wouldn't let herself think about how scared for him she'd been.

"If you give me your bag I'll put it in your room." He offered and she smiled at him thankfully.

"That would really be great."

"No problem."

"And Ryan?" She asked looking at him a moment.

'Yeah?"

"I love you."

"Ditto." He smiled still not able to say the words. After all it had been rough lately. This morning discluded. That had been one of the best things in his memory. He'd gotten his little sister back.

Then he was watching her go, moving to Carter and leading him down the hall by an uninjured arm. Yes, Ryan thought, he'd have that talk with the red lightspeed ranger soon. He wanted Dana happy and Carter too if possible. They all deserved that much.

"Come on." Dana said pushing Carter onto the diagnostic table.

"Yes ma'am." The red lightspeed ranger Dana busied herself around the room so she'd not have time to think about the man alone in the room with her. After all if she did she'd feel that heat that being alone with Carter always made her feel.

"Dana?" Carter asked noting her strange reticence.

"Hmm?" She glanced up from her current task of laying out gauze and other medical gear on a trey.

"Are you alright?" He asked and she frowned a little, he was the one hurt not her.

"Yes why?"

"You left." He said quietly thinking of how he'd felt when he'd read that note. He'd thought she could make things better for Ryan by going. She'd not known that she'd take his heart with her when she went.

"Oh, yeah I…" How could she explain exactly what she'd been thinking? She didn't know but as she turned around to face Carter again her mind went blank. He had peeled off his shirt and she could see his upper torso covered in cuts, bruises and some nasty looking burns. She felt her stomach turn over at the way his perfect body was so marred.

Without a thought she moved for a vile containing a pain blocker.

"You know we'd miss you if you left." He said bringing her out of her momentary rush with his strained words.

"You would?" She asked moving quickly for him, in hand. If she had to be here to help she could get started. She'd hate to think what pain he was in.

"Yes." He said and she didn't see how his Adams apple bobbed as she began her ministrations. Sure he'd been in pain but somehow whenever he was with Dana everything always seemed better. That was why he didn't flinch as she gave him a pain blocker.

"Your one of us." He said as she then began to treat first the burns and then the cuts.

"Yes I am." She said slowly as she used tweezers to remove bits of his crimson uniform from the worst of the burns.

"Dana?" Carter asked looking up at her. He could feel the haziness of the pain blocker kicking in and he wanted to tell her he was glad she was still there.

"Shh, its ok, your fine, just relax." She crooned soothingly lifting a hand to Carter's forehead and it was warm but not hot. More than that it helped get her heart to relax a little bit.

"I'm glad…" He felt as if his tongue were growing heavy, as if his mind were shutting down. "You didn't…"

Dana knew the moment the darkness hit him and was glad; this would have hurt if he were alert. She didn't like hurting people at all and Carter particularly. After all he was her best friend, her leader and her secret crush.

It was over two hours later when Dana finally made it back to her room. She was completely wiped out and just wanted to crash. Yet as she neared Ryan's room she hesitated. Maybe he'd like to get something to ear? He's probably not had any more time to do anything than she had.

"And they just can't let it go." The muttering had Dana freezing even as she'd been about to knock on his door. The door was open a crack and she checked to see if he was alone. She noticed he was and that her brother was checking out a strange looking tattoo on his back. It looked like a big cobra and she felt ill. If it was from the demons…

Ryan felt the eyes the moment the footfalls in the hall beyond his quarters ceased. He didn't turn around knowing just who it was. Funny that one of the best things he'd gotten from the demons was his ability to completely know one's surroundings. He had a bad feeling she'd seen and braced inwardly for the tears and tings like that to come as he slowly turned calling.

"You can come in."

"Oh." Dana felt like a kid who'd got caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Still she pushed open the door and entered silently shutting the door behind her.

"I'm pretty good at knowing stuff like who's nearby." Ryan said pulling a shirt over his back.

"They gave you that." Dana said without preamble."

"Sort of a parting gift." He tried for an off-handed tone but all Dana could hear was his bitterness. The tears came into her eyes but Dana pushed them back now was not the time for this. She had to think how to fix things.

"There's got to be a way to get rid of it." The blonde said walking over to his closet to push a shirt back in from where it stuck out of the still slightly ajar door.

"You don't want to know what it does." Ryan asked watching his sister's deliberate movements. From what little he'd remembered the only time she'd ever been so intentionally orientated was when she was thinking through something."

"It's bad, I don't need to know more than that and that you're alive and ok." She said and her tone was matter-of-fact as she then moved to straighten his dresser.

"I'm fine." Ryan said marveling at Dana's insight and willingness to do what she could. But then this was his little sister. She was always ready to help him out. He honestly didn't know how he'd come to deserve this. Yet he knew better than to look a gift horse in the mouth.

"Good now we need to figure out how to get rid of it." Dana said her practical side taking over.

"Well I think first we need to have something to eat." Ryan said adding as he looked at his little sister. "I don't gather you had anything to eat today with your little trip.

"No I didn't have time." Dana admitted sheepishly.

Right either did I." And he was pulling his little sister from the room.

"Will you look at that?" Kelsey said grabbing Chad's arm in the Aquabase's galley a time later. Kelsey was sitting with Chad as the titanium ranger and his sister got a table.

"What?" Joel asked frowning as he heard that last part.

"Their sitting together." The blue ranger said and Joel noticed then too smiling a little.

Late that night Ryan returned to his room, exhausted both by the day's events and by the energy he'd exerted during the battle to fight off the cobra. He knew he should be looking for a cure but Dana had cast him out of the R&D department, saying he needed sleep. He'd gone since she'd threatened to call dad on him but he didn't have to like it. After all this was his problem and he could take care of himself. These thoughts drifting through his mind the titanium ranger drifted off to sleep.

Dana sighed getting up from her seat at the computer module, she'd been looking for a cure for the tattoo for the last three hours. She knew she should be resting but she'd just gotten Ryan back she'd not lose him now. So what if she lost a little sleep because of it. She'd studied all night before. So what if that was before she'd been the pink lightspeed ranger? She was a big girl and her brother needed her didn't he?

"Dana?" The voice had her looking up to find Ms. Fairweather standing in the walkway between the lines of computers. The scientist looked tired if a little concerned.

"Hi Ms. Fairweather." Dana plastered on a bright smile and opted it didn't look too false. It would not be a good thing if the scientist found out about Ryan or what she was doing, she might tell their father and she didn't need that right now. Beside s Ryan didn't want their father to know. He'd not be able to d anything anyway.

"Up late?" Ms. Fairweather asked noticing the screen saver which Dana had enacted before she'd gotten up.

"Yeah just studying." Dana lied.

"I see well if you need some help with anything just ask. I may not have gone to medical school but my cousin Billy Cranston is a doctor and we can always tap his brain if you need anything." Ms. Fairweather smiled having a feeling must was up but knowing from the past times she and Dana had been around one another she'd not except help easily. Dana was more the do it yourself type.

"Thanks but right now it's not medicine." Dana said hoping she didn't sound too phony. She just wanted to be alone again.

"Oh well remember my offer stands for anything you need." Ms. Fairweather said and Dana nodded saying.

"Ok thanks." She said and turning back to the computer Dana pretended to go back on while instead she enacted a password on the file she'd been working on. She didn't want her father or anyone else to stumble on her work.

Once she'd finished Dana did go for some coffee but as she was passing the medical bay she decided to look in on him. After all she'd not seen him since she'd left him sleeping on a diagnostic bed a while ago.

Now though as she entered the sickbay she hoped he was still good. Her thoughts of how to rid her brother of the tattoo had almost made her forget about his injuries.

Seeing him still resting there on the bed she moved to stand beside him. He looked so different from the strong and capable leader he was most of the time. No, now he more seemed like a small child who needed protection.

Thoughtlessly she brushed the hair back from his face and to her embarrassment and joy his blue eyes opened.

"Dana?"

"Hey sorry if I woke you." She whispered gently as she moved back a ways.

"You don't have to run away." He murmured reaching out a hand to take hers gingerly.

"I'm not, I was just um…."

"You know you look really good in that shade of pink." He said with a low chuckle that sent her cheeks into even a deeper crimson.

"And you're still really medicated." She laughed nervously.

"No I'm ok; I can feel the pain from the burns but its fading." He informed her and slowly he sat up, even as she was pushing him back down.

"You have to rest, your hurt." She chided him gently but he could hear the steel to her tone. That was something he loved about the pink lightspeed ranger, even when she was being stern her voice was still like music. Maybe that was one reason he didn't like her thinking he was weak. He wanted her to know she didn't have to worry about him.

"No I…" He began but she was shaking her head.

"She's right." Came Ms. Fairweather's voice and both turned to find the scientist in question standing in the entrance to the little cubical. "You were hurt pretty badly today and should be resting."

"Listen I understand that I have to rest." Carter began again this time to the older woman. "But can I at least go back to my room?"

"Ms. Fairweather?" Dana asked hoping she wouldn't look like an idiot. She didn't mind being wrong but she hated Carter to know she was just a screw up.

"Alright, Dana will you help him there?" Ms. Fairweather asked after a minute. She wondered if Dana's late night stuff had more to do with Carter or real studying. She'd been young once and knew how crushes could be. She also knew how if you liked someone worrying could be rough.

"No problem." Dana said oblivious to the scientist's silent thoughts.

"Alright then I'll expect you back here at eight so I can check you over Carter. We need to make sure there are no complications."

"Alright." The red lightspeed ranger said sounding relieved to be aloud to go back to his own quarters as Ms. Fairweather turned to go.

"Good, And Dana?" The scientist asked glancing back over her shoulder.

"Yes?" Dana asked relived that she'd not said anything to Carter about the time of night.

"You should head off too; you never know what will happen tomorrow." The woman said and Carter glanced at his friend even as the older woman left the medical center

"That's a good question." Carter said as he swung his legs stiffly over the side of the analytical table.

"Hmm?" Dana pretended to be spotting him so he'd not fall knowing she'd be fast enough to catch him if he swayed. She didn't want to talk about why she was up. She really hated having to lie to him.

"You aren't in bed." He stated needlessly.

"No I had some studying to do." She replied shrugging and he paused to frown at her in his walk to the doorway of the medical area.

"You know you suck at lying." Was all he said to her as he stood there swaying slightly on his feet.

"Carter you need sleep come on." Dana said trying to pull him from the room.

"What's going on?" He persisted pulling painfully away from her helpful touch.

"Carter…" She tried again but he set his bruised jaw and she knew she'd not get anywhere

"I'm not going anywhere until you fess up." Carter said and Dana sighed.

"Carter it's not my secret to tell."

"I see." He said and she felt his dejection. "We're best friends and yet when something as big as regaining a lost brother happens you won't let me be there." Carter said heading for the door and reaching for the door's control panel he added. "Well that's not a friendship Dana that's crap." With that he left her there, feeling as if he slapped her.

that's all for that chapter, please let me know what you think. Should I go on?


	3. 3

author's note: thanks to those who reviewed.

3

Lining up the ball on the T-ball stand Ryan prepared to hit it home.

"Mommy said not to play in the house." The little voice piped up and the five year old turned to find his little sister standing in the doorway to the kitchen. She was holding an oatmeal cookie and frowning at him.

"So what?" He screwed his face up in a scowl, annoyed. Why did his little sister have to make rainy days even worse?

"Your gonna do it anyway?" She asked sticking a finger in her mouth as she all but forgot about the cookie in the other hand.

"Moms not here anymore dummy." He said moving to line up his bat again.

"I'm not a dummy." Dana pouted pulling her fingers from her mouth to make a face at him.

"Are too you don't even remember she's dead." He muttered and Dana moved a little so she was standing in front of him, between he and the T-ball stand.

"I know that." She said lifting her chin. He hated when she got that defensive voice, it meant Dana was going to be a pain in the neck. Sometimes he wished he had had a brother instead, and then his little brother wouldn't be lecturing him but playing too. Girls really sucked.

"So who cares if she's dead? She can't see me." He muttered out loud and Dana looked at the cookie in her hand as if she'd never seen one in her life before saying.

"Yes she can."

"How she's in the ground." The five year old shot back and his sister looked from the cookie to the floor before saying.

"Daddy says when they put her body in the ground her ghost went up to heaven." Dana told him after a minute more of thought.

"Then she's in heaven." Ryan smirked at her in victory saying. "She still can't see me."

"Yes she can, daddy says that she can see us everyday." Dana retorted looking him right in the eye.

"He lied." Ryan shrugged hating how stupid his little sister was. If she'd just go away he could be

"No he doesn't." She growled at him and he saw when her blue eyes went silver. She was mad, dad was gonna kill him. But at that second his father was the furtherist thing from Ryan's mind as his little sister jumped on him slamming her cookie into his cheek.

"Danny stop!!" Ryan tried to get her to let go but his sister was worse than a dog when she got mad. "Let go!"

"No, Daddies don't lie!" She bellowed and promptly sank her teeth into his shoulder.

"Oew!" Ryan yelped and tried to shrug her off but she wouldn't let her go.

"Daddydoesn'tlie!" She

Growled through a mouth full of his shoulder.

"I said let go!" He said and knowing only he couldn't take any more biting he used a move he'd learned in karate class bringing his knee up and jamming it in her belly.

"Oew!" Dana cried as she let go and fell in a heap on the floor.

Standing there Ryan couldn't believe he'd gotten her off, or that any of that had happened. His shoulder was throbbing and that was not a dream so it had to be. Too Dana was on the floor crying as she clutched her belly. Only as he felt the pain in his shoulder ease did Ryan realize what he'd done to her. He'd hurt a girl, his little sister. Dad had always said you never hurt a girl, especially family. Family was special, dad always said that.

"Danny?" He dropped to his knees beside his little sister but she rolled painfully away from him.

"Go away." She moaned.

"Come on Danny I'm really sorry I don't…" He tried to touch her shoulder but she didn't give him the chance.

"I want mommy!" She cried and he knew it was bad, his little sister rarely cried, not like this.

That thought had Ryan bolting upright in his bed. Something was wrong, he could feel it. Swinging his legs over the side of the bed he headed out to locate his little sister and see if she was alright.

The sound of the alarm had the rangers scrambling for rescue ops. Carter even arrived, if a little sore.

Dana stood beside her brother, not looking at Carter once as she listened to the rundown on the situation. She had way too much on her mind. She had to find a way to keep Ryan from having to morph and yet do her job.

Ryan frowned, he'd not been able to find Dana anywhere but here she was, in one peace. Why then did he still have a bad feeling? There was no time to think it over as they headed out.

By the time the rangers leapt from the rover down town the Batlings were not alone. Diabolico, Vypra, thunderin and Falkar had tagged along.

"Ok guys lets take care of business!" Carter called to his team as they all spread out in a way that would hopefully somewhat contain the evil creatures.

"Yee haa!" Joel leapt into a contingent of Batlings punching and kicking them as he went.

Ryan was instantly confronted by Diabolico. The demon seemed to have been waiting for him specifically so the titanium ranger went to work. Ryan knew why too, after all how better to drain him than by provoking him into morphing? Dana knowing this was there too, flip kicking him even as the demon ducked and she went flying into a nearby building.

"Your going to pay for that Diabolico!" Ryan growled and even as Dana was staggering up

Not too far away from where Ryan and Dana fought Chad had his own hands full with Falkar.

Whirling the blue ranger delivered a round house kick to the face of his opponent, followed by a jump kick to a Batlings middle. His marshal arts training paying off yet again.

"Oh how cute the little pink ranger standing up for her pathetic brother." The demon sneered as Dana covered her brother's back. She was not going to let him morph or be forced into doing so. Dana was going to save him, to be the defender this time even if it took everything she had.

Kelsey ducked a blow from Vypra and caught sight of Ryan's predicament. While he was not morphed and fighting two Batlings Dana was and was pounding Diabolico. Still the yellow lightspeed ranger could tell something was wrong, why wasn't Ryan morphed?

The blast from the staff flung Dana to one side just as her brother finished off his opponents and turned to his old nemesis.

"So like your going away souvenir?" Diabolico asked and Ryan didn't have time to retort, he was too busy being flung back by the blast Dana shot just before his feet.

"I'll show you a going away present! You monster!" Dana growled in a voice eerily like her brother's even as the pink ranger used lightening speed to move, knocking the staff out of Diabolico's hand. She then blasted the staff so it vanished from the premises.

Carter was doing his thing as well trouncing thunderin with two low reverse punches to his midsection or where it would have been if he was human. When the creature staggered back the red lightspeed ranger landed a solid crescent kick to the demon's head and he fled with out Diabolico's ok.

"Looks like your troops are running scared big bad." Dana panted as she dodged a blow from the sword Diabolico had pulled.

"I can still thrash you pathetic human!" The demon was snarling Diabolico's blade pierced Dana's arm. She didn't cry out, no she rolled away and was on her feet, round kicking the demon's sword away from him.

"You took my brother away from me!" She shouted at him letting all of her venom out on this, the one who had indeed done just that. "Now it's time for a little pay back!" The pink ranger bellowed as she used her V lancer on him.

"What is she doing?" Chad called to Carter as he neared the fighting pair. Kelsey had finished her foes as had Joel. Now they were all standing near Ryan watching the fight.

"It's pay back." Kelsey said matter-of-factly.

"We have to stop her." Ryan said and Carter didn't even speak to him as he blasted Diabolico's leg. The demon cursed and was gone.

"What did you do that for?" Dana yelled at Carter, as she yanked off her helmet and tossed it at his feet.

"Dana I don't know what you thought you were doing." He hollered back, getting up in her face. "This is a war not a show where you're the star!"

"Why you pompous, self assured…"

"She was protecting me." Ryan said stepping between them before this could escalate any further.

"What are you talking about?" Carter rounded on the titanium ranger.

"Look not here alright? Dana needs treatment." Ryan said bringing Carter's attention back to the one person that was their greatest weakness and biggest asset.

"Right." Carter ground out even as he realized that Kelsey and Chad had helped Dana up and were half way back to the rescue rover.

"So you let her put her life on the line to save you." Carter said grimly as he glared over at the silver clad titanium ranger.

"What did you want her to do?" Ryan asked. "Tell you about it? It wasn't her secret to tell."

"I'm her best friend damn it she should have…"

"Look, could you guys not fight right now, what's done is done." Chad said patiently adding. "Dana is the one who needs you not this fighting."

Carter closed his eyes he knew the blue ranger was right but right now he was just so angry. He'd been ever since his words with Dana in the medical center last night but there just didn't seem to be the right words to say to make her understand that he was just worried about her, after all she'd been through a lot lately and he more than anyone knew how dangerous keeping things bottled up could be.

Ryan knew that Carter was upset and knew he was part of it but he'd sensed something had happened between his little sister and the red ranger, that things were tense. He didn't like that but he knew fighting with him now or ever wouldn't help his sister or the situation.

"Well?" Kelsey asked even as the door opened and in came Ms. Fairweather.

"She's getting dressed."

"What about her shoulder?"

"The doctor stitched it up and bandaged it; he wants her to rest for the rest of the day."

"Can we see her?" Ryan posed and the scientist nodded qualifying.

"She'll be out and then you can before she goes on to her quarters."

"Right." Carter said and didn't look at the titanium ranger who was now looking passed the doors to where Dana was emerging She was pale, her face gray and to Carter's dismay she sat in a wheelchair.

"Dana?" Carter began but Ryan was moving, pushing him back as he made to speak to her.

"You're alright?" She asked and Ryan nodded. "Good, I was a little worried." Then she looked passed him to Carter who too looked concerned. "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you but it was not my secret." With that she let Ms. Fairweather wheel she down the passage passed her other friends to her lodgings.

Carter saw how Dana and Ryan were and didn't know why it bothered him so much, after all he should be happy for her. How often did someone find out they had a brother. That he wasn't dead like she'd thought?

"Come on." Kelsey said and led her friend to a table in the galley.

"Something happened between you and Dana didn't it?" Chad asked frowning at Carter. The red ranger nodded.

"I told her I was her friend and if she couldn't trust me with her secret there was no friendship." Carter explained morosely.

"You really said that to her?" Chad asked frowning.

"I know I was harsh but gees I love her and if she can't trust me…" Carter looked into the cup of herbal tea Kelsey had brought him as if there he'd find some sort of absolution.

"Jealousy." Joel said bringing the red ranger back to the current situation.

"Jealousy?" Carter asked surprised. He'd never even thought of that.

"Yeah, think about it man, before this week you and Dana were like this." the green ranger held two of his fingers together to illustrate his point. "Then along comes Ryan back from the dead and suddenly your not the only guy in her life." Joel explained and Carter wondered if he was right. It would make sense. Since becoming rangers he and Dana had just been like they'd known each other forever. Now though with Ryan did he feel like she was leaving him?

"Hey man how's she doing?" Joel asked as the silver clad young man joined their little group.

"Resting." The titanium ranger said sliding into a seat beside the green clad young man.

"At least she'll be ok." Kelsey said relief in her voice and she only then noticed how Carter was watching the newest member of their team. He looked like he was trying to figure something out and hoped he'd work his feelings out soon, she knew Dana needed his support now more than ever.

To Be Continued

Please r/r and let me know what you think.


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